Civic Center: A Misleading Dispute Over Height Limits

Laurel Roennau's recent letter to The Times (Westside section, Aug. 4) presents an inaccurate view of council member Kelly Olsen's actions regarding the Civic Center. She bases her conclusions on an assertion that he presented a motion to the City Council which ultimately permitted increased maximum heights in the proposed RAND developments on Ocean Avenue.

Council member Olsen's motion did not raise the maximum permitted heights as stated in the Specific Plan by 14 feet, as Ms. Roennau claims. In fact, council member Olsen's motion lowered the maximum permitted heights by 14 feet, or one full story.

We are the entire membership of the Civic Center working group, which was appointed by the City Council. Our mission was to facilitate a process to reach a community consensus on the urban design plan for the Civic Center. We recognize Ms. Roennau's right to her opinion of council member Olsen. However, her facts are incorrect.